I recently came into possession of an original George Cannata Sr piece. It is signed and dated from 1975. I don’t know what it is worth or if would mean something to someone. Any ideas?

Brad Constantine

I always liked his “laid back” vocal style. Kind of like a southern Bing Crosby on prozack…yet he packed a punch as good as popeye.
check out this violent ad from the 70′s..ahh the power of Sugar!!

fishmorgjp

Ah yes… one ad featured SB and his groovy hippie rock band floating over a psychedelic landscape. (Can’t seem to find it on YouTube.) Boy… eat Sugar Crisp, and you could get super powers! Or go on a groovy trip!

top_cat_james

When is someone going to put “Linus the Lionhearted” on DVD?

http://www.jessica-plummer.com Jessica Plummer

i’m amazed how quickly the bear went from downright adorable to completely retarded in design phases.

http://portapuppets.does.it uncle wayne

What a joy to see the metamorphasis of our old Bing/Dean pal!! When WILL more “Linus”eseses be out!??

OM

…Even though I still, after 45 years, despise puffed rice cereals of any way, shape or form, I found the evolution of the character rather interesting. The real question is why one of the early designs was for Kellogg’s?

J. J. Hunsecker

I agree with Jessica. Why did they change that appealing design (the one where he’s running while holding the glass bowl) to that ugly “modern” design — which has even proportions and dead looking eyes?

Chris Sobieniak

I don’t have much of a prob with the way Sugar Bear turned out to be in his later incarnations (perhaps being more used to seeing that in ads over the older designs I just saw right now could explain it).

Thanks for posting the link Jerry. I have to say I love all these phases of the Sugar Bear. They are all very indicitive of the times in which they are produced. The early “storybook” Sugar Bear began to look dated and they moved to a more Hanna Barbera painted look and then onto your eventual “groovy” Sugar Bear.

I don’t think it all fell apart until late 70′s when the level of artistry at ad agencys really seemed to disappear. Luckily now there is a renewed interest at the cereal companys to make decent box art.